In this observation, pay attention to how your teacher manages his or her classroom. What types of disruptions, if any, occur while you're visiting? How do they set the class in motion? How do they deal with interruptions (from the outside) and disruptions (from their students)? Determine whether there are students in the classes that you will teach that are especially troublesome. Ask your CT how he or she addresses these students' needs. Reflect on your "vision" of an ideal science classroom. What classroom policies will you try to implement in YOUR classroom? How does your vision align with your teaching philosophy?
observation: My cooperating CT begins every class I've been to with a science starter of some sort that the students work on independently. Then she transitions to a part of her lesson that connects to the science starter and she will usually move on to another part of the lesson that deals with the same content but in a different manner. I was talking to her about lesson structure and she had mentioned that she breaks up her lessons in this manner to give the students a chance to move and to retain their attention. During different observations I have not noticed too many disturbances during the class. There is student that has trouble paying attention during class. During a class in which the students were planting seeds to germinate I noticed that this particular student was having difficulty focusing on the task and causing his partner to be distressed because he was not in tune with the work. I personally was walking around and would continually come back to his table to aid in redirecting him to the task.He did not want to do the work and wanted to be doing something else. If his interest is not capture it seems like he doesn't want to do the work. I have noticed my CT on a few occasions redirecting him during class. My teacher manages her class efficiently. When students are not listening or focusing she addresses the student directly and then continues with the lesson. I have not witness behavior that would cause my CT to have to derail the class from their lesson. A classroom rule that my CT has that addresses behavior is to treat all people with respect within the classroom. She said that it encompasses most of the rules that would be needed for classroom behavior.
I asked my CT how she addresses all of the students need. She gave me the list of students whom need accommodation and what the accommodation are that they need. She explained to me that many of the of the things that would be required to accommodate some of the students with need are things that can be applied to the teaching of the whole class. She further explained that she has the students read in class within groups and take turns reading. She works with one group in particular to help with those whom need reading accommodations. As the conversation went along she explained that there are some students that need notes written for them, some that need homework that is created for their reading level, and many other accommodation that need to be made on a student tot student basis. My CT told me that she addresses all of the students needs whom are in need. She said that frequently there are students that are in need whom do not have services. She said that this is often difficult because she wants to accommodate the students but she also needs to document that the students need the services. She said that she does everything she can to help the child to learn but it is a difficult area to be in since those who determine that the student has a need for accommodations want the evidence to prove it and if she does the accommodate the student before his/her need is identified with evidence that a teacher might run into a difficulty of explaining why the student is doing so well. She also said that she still accommodate them but she makes sure that she has the paper evidence that shows the accommodations were made.
reflection:
I believe that my CT has a well managed class. There have not been many disturbances since I have been there. If there was a disturbance the teacher addressed the behavior and moved on with the lesson. For the most part all of the students she has had to address have listened. The students seem to respect her a lot. Part of her well managed classroom may also be a result of her instruction. The students seem to like her class and generally seem focused on the lessons. Her students seem to find her easy to approach. I also think that her rules and expectations are clear to the students. She does not have a ridiculous amount or rules but the rules she does have are clear and concise. I would like to have this sort of atmosphere in my classroom. I want my classroom to be a space in which learning is cultivated. I think if the rules are clear and not about controlling a classroom, but instead about the respect and safety of the inhabitants of the classroom that students are more likely to adopt the rules and follow them. I can remember back to when I was a student and I would have a teacher who would be all about a list of rules and enforcing them to the letter. I remember not respecting or wanting to listen to the teacher, mostly because their teaching style was not showing respect for the students but treating them as if they were younger than they were. My vision aligns with my teaching philosophy in by the fact that I want learning to actively be happening in my classroom. Teachers can cause students to not want to be in their class physically let alone want to be in the class and learn by creating an uncomfortable environment. I would like to have a classroom that makes my students feel welcome and that will be part of the foundation of their learning.
observation:
My cooperating CT begins every class I've been to with a science starter of some sort that the students work on independently. Then she transitions to a part of her lesson that connects to the science starter and she will usually move on to another part of the lesson that deals with the same content but in a different manner. I was talking to her about lesson structure and she had mentioned that she breaks up her lessons in this manner to give the students a chance to move and to retain their attention. During different observations I have not noticed too many disturbances during the class. There is student that has trouble paying attention during class. During a class in which the students were planting seeds to germinate I noticed that this particular student was having difficulty focusing on the task and causing his partner to be distressed because he was not in tune with the work. I personally was walking around and would continually come back to his table to aid in redirecting him to the task.He did not want to do the work and wanted to be doing something else. If his interest is not capture it seems like he doesn't want to do the work. I have noticed my CT on a few occasions redirecting him during class. My teacher manages her class efficiently. When students are not listening or focusing she addresses the student directly and then continues with the lesson. I have not witness behavior that would cause my CT to have to derail the class from their lesson. A classroom rule that my CT has that addresses behavior is to treat all people with respect within the classroom. She said that it encompasses most of the rules that would be needed for classroom behavior.
I asked my CT how she addresses all of the students need. She gave me the list of students whom need accommodation and what the accommodation are that they need. She explained to me that many of the of the things that would be required to accommodate some of the students with need are things that can be applied to the teaching of the whole class. She further explained that she has the students read in class within groups and take turns reading. She works with one group in particular to help with those whom need reading accommodations. As the conversation went along she explained that there are some students that need notes written for them, some that need homework that is created for their reading level, and many other accommodation that need to be made on a student tot student basis. My CT told me that she addresses all of the students needs whom are in need. She said that frequently there are students that are in need whom do not have services. She said that this is often difficult because she wants to accommodate the students but she also needs to document that the students need the services. She said that she does everything she can to help the child to learn but it is a difficult area to be in since those who determine that the student has a need for accommodations want the evidence to prove it and if she does the accommodate the student before his/her need is identified with evidence that a teacher might run into a difficulty of explaining why the student is doing so well. She also said that she still accommodate them but she makes sure that she has the paper evidence that shows the accommodations were made.
reflection:
I believe that my CT has a well managed class. There have not been many disturbances since I have been there. If there was a disturbance the teacher addressed the behavior and moved on with the lesson. For the most part all of the students she has had to address have listened. The students seem to respect her a lot. Part of her well managed classroom may also be a result of her instruction. The students seem to like her class and generally seem focused on the lessons. Her students seem to find her easy to approach. I also think that her rules and expectations are clear to the students. She does not have a ridiculous amount or rules but the rules she does have are clear and concise. I would like to have this sort of atmosphere in my classroom. I want my classroom to be a space in which learning is cultivated. I think if the rules are clear and not about controlling a classroom, but instead about the respect and safety of the inhabitants of the classroom that students are more likely to adopt the rules and follow them. I can remember back to when I was a student and I would have a teacher who would be all about a list of rules and enforcing them to the letter. I remember not respecting or wanting to listen to the teacher, mostly because their teaching style was not showing respect for the students but treating them as if they were younger than they were. My vision aligns with my teaching philosophy in by the fact that I want learning to actively be happening in my classroom. Teachers can cause students to not want to be in their class physically let alone want to be in the class and learn by creating an uncomfortable environment. I would like to have a classroom that makes my students feel welcome and that will be part of the foundation of their learning.